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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22442302">Coronation's Lore</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowsHollow/pseuds/ShadowsHollow'>ShadowsHollow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 12:15:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,450</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22442302</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowsHollow/pseuds/ShadowsHollow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lucy can't get over leaving behind Narnia and everything else that she loved. Two years after she was told she couldn't return her siblings Peter and Susan are back from America. Maybe though, not everything can go back to normal.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>
    <em>Coronation’s Lore</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>“Once a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen of Narnia,”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As said by Aslan, at the coronation of the Kings and Queens of Old.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>            Lucy watched as the ship on the picture drifted away until it was no longer there. Sighing she closed the door to her room, knowing that other than Eustace, her family was no longer welcome in Narnia until they joined their friends in Aslan’s Country. She was leaving behind everything that meant anything to her. Yes she loved her family dearly and she had a few friends back at school but Narnia was her everything. It was her home, her life and her friends and the man she loved lived there. So how could she go back to living in normal old England as though nothing had ever happened?</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>“Lu, it’s time to come down stairs. Peter and Susan are here.” A voice that Lucy knew belonged to Eustace yelled from downstairs. Lucy sat staring out her window, watching the rain fall gently onto the glass.</p><p> </p><p>            “Lucy, Eustace left.” Lucy turned her head to see Edmund standing in her open doorway. He was as regal as always, knowing now that in any world, he was never second best. Lucy turned back to looking out her window once more. Edmund sighed as he looked upon his sister. Sitting there was no longer sweet little Lucy; in her stead was that of a noble woman. Her posture was perfect and the very air around her seemed to glow with royalty. But she wasn’t like this unless she needed to be or she was remembering Narnia. “Come on Lucy, let’s go see them.”</p><p> </p><p>            Edmund offered his little sister his arm. Lucy nodded up at him and took the offered appendage. Fixing a political smile on her face Lucy allowed Edmund to lead her out of her cold and quiet room. Placing a smile on his face Edmund barely had time to move away when Peter had grabbed their sister in a hug. “Happy birthday Lucy!” yes, Lucy was now 17 years old. Two years had passed since she was told she’d never return home. Two years of a quiet and calm reality without the man that Lucy loved but couldn’t have.</p><p> </p><p>            Edmund had moved Lucy and himself out of their relative’s house as soon as he turned 18. He refused help from anyone and took care of his sister. Eustace, ever to changed, didn’t offer his help but instead showed up on their doorstep with his stuff. He helped pay for the house and food but never did he offer the help, he was just there. Although he didn’t know exactly how Lucy and Edmund felt about leaving Narnia again he was their pillar of support to guide them through. Edmund was able to carry on, but Lucy… Lucy couldn’t completely leave it all behind.</p><p> </p><p>            Peter pulled away from the hug but his smile faltered. This wasn’t his little sister; no this was Queen Lucy when she was dealing with someone she didn’t like during an alliance meeting. Never before had Peter seen this look directed at one of them. Susan pushed him out of the way and embraced Lucy as well. Peter looked at Edmund for an answer but Edmund just shook his head.</p><p> </p><p>            “Lucy, what ever are you wearing?” both boys turned back to see Susan looking over Lucy. “These aren’t fitting for a young woman, go change while we get everything ready.”</p><p> </p><p>            Lucy was dressed in a perfectly fitting baby blue shirt with long sleeves, grey pants and black slippers for in the house. Her hair was braided so as to stay out of her way. “Susan, I can’t go change, I don’t have any more dresses or skirts. Anyways, I find these clothes much more comfortable. Now, who wants cake?”</p><p> </p><p>            Lucy left the room so quickly that she was nearly running. Susan followed after with Peter and Edmund in the rear. “Alright, what’s wrong with her?”</p><p> </p><p>            Edmund sighed for what felt like the millionth time that week. “We were told that we can’t go back to Narnia.”</p><p> </p><p>            “I can see how that would be a shock to her but she shouldn’t be acting like this Ed.” Peter knew there was more, there was always more.</p><p> </p><p>            “Peter, now don’t get mad. You don’t understand what’s happened,” Edmund tried to reason with his brother.</p><p> </p><p>            “What is it Ed?”</p><p> </p><p>            “Lucy fell in love…”</p><p> </p><p>            “Okay, then what’s so wrong with that? She’ll be back to her usual self in no time. But of course I have to meet this guy to make sure that he’s right for our little Lucy.” Peter smiled at the thought of once more trying to scare away any of Lucy’s suitors. They had all run in the past, and that was before Peter joined the army. Even in the Golden Age, suitor fled before both the High King and Just King of Narnia</p><p> </p><p>            “No she won’t. She fell in love with Caspian.” Silence hung in the air around them as they paused just outside the kitchen door.</p><p> </p><p>            “How, when?”</p><p> </p><p>            “She’s been in love with him since yours and Susan’s last time there. She never said anything then because she knew that she was still a child in everyone’s eyes and that Susan and Caspian liked each other. Seeing him again and having everything happen that did just made it all so must more real for her. But she never tried to go anywhere with it just like before. She knew she’d have to leave one day so she helped him fall in love with a star we met. Don’t tell her I told you Pete.” Edmund opened the door to the kitchen to see a crying Lucy standing over her cake.</p><p> </p><p>            Hearing the door open Lucy looked up at Edmund. She didn’t smile but there was a flash of innocence in her eyes as she flung herself at him. “Oh Edmund, it’s beautiful. Thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>            Peter watched Edmund smile and decided to see what this was about. Walking over to the cake Peter looked down at it. It wasn’t overly large, if anything it was quite small in size. The frosting though caught his eye. A white marble and stone castle resting on a hillside with forests surrounding it and an orchard to the side, a sandy beach rested along a beautiful ocean and docked there was a boat. The boat had a golden dragon head and tail with a purple sail; which to happen to have the Narnian crest stitch on it.</p><p> </p><p>            Lucy walked back to the cake, “its Cair Paravel and the Dawn Treader Peter. Remember I told you about it in my last letter? How Caspian was trying to rebuild Cair Paravel and our journey in Narnia… This is it,” Lucy’s voice cracked when she said Caspian’s name.</p><p> </p><p>            “Oh can’t we just go one day without talking about that place!?” Susan’s voice rose in annoyance. “We can’t go back so it’s pointless to bother trying to remember it.”</p><p> </p><p>            “Susan Pevensie you shut your mouth.” Lucy wiped away her tears as she marched over to her sister. “Although you have a tendency to forget what you can’t have doesn’t mean we all do. I will always remain loyal to Aslan and remember Narnia for what it is and always will be; my home!” Storming past Susan, Lucy ran upstairs and into her room, slamming the door shut behind her and locking it.</p><p> </p><p>            Lucy didn’t cry, she never cried when she was angry. She didn’t throw things and didn’t yell; instead she walked to a chest at the foot of her bed and opened it. Inside were all of her drawings of Narnia. There were many from the Golden Age, some from their second visit and some from her latest and last trip there. But what she wanted right now was her most important piece in the chest. Reaching inside she took out a familiar white shirt. Aslan had allowed her to keep the shirt that she’d used throughout the entire journey, the shirt that once belonged to her beloved King Caspian.</p><p> </p><p>            Changing Lucy climbed into bed and fell asleep to the sound of rain on her window and the roof. Edmund had followed after Lucy to see if he could get her to talk. When he found the door locked though he knew that they wouldn’t be talking for a while. With a frown Edmund went to his own room to try and get some sleep, knowing Peter would show Susan and himself to the guest rooms.</p><p> </p><p>            Hours of sleep was always good for an angered mind but when Lucy felt the tug inside her mind that usually meant magic was about she welcomed it. Even in her sleep she knew that something was about to happen, whether it be for the good or for the bad she didn’t know. Tired of living back in England Lucy let the magic wrap around her and drag her farther down into darkness.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Amon Sul</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>So when the Nazgul is talking, it’s not using Common Tongue but Black Speech.</p><p>Yes there is Elvish, no I did not look up the language I was lazy.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>‘Wet,’ Lucy thought as she started to wake up. Suddenly Lucy sneezed, ‘Wet and cold, why am I wet and cold?’ No light came through Lucy’s lids so she knew it was still night time. The storm that had been raging outside was now gone and Lucy was no longer in her nice and warm bed. Opening her eyes slowly Lucy found that she was leaning against a rock in the middle of a small stream. She was still dressed in her white tunic and freezing because of the thin material.</p><p> </p><p>“This is not Narnia,” Everything around her had a different feel to it. There wasn’t any magic in the air like Narnia had. Lucy stood and slipped on the wet stones beneath her sending her falling back down. Biting her lip Lucy kept herself from crying out in pain as the rock she had formally been leaning on now scraped against her back, tearing her tunic. Clenching her jaw Lucy forced herself back onto her feet. “No good staying here without protection.”</p><p> </p><p>Carefully making her way through the dark forest something started to tickle the back of Lucy’s mind. It was similar to the feeling of magic, but this was darker, even darker than the feeling of being near Jadis the White Witch. Lucy’s eyes widened as she picked up her pace, trying to leave the cold feeling behind her. Bursting through some bushes Lucy saw before her the outline of a building placed high upon a hill. Usually she would have taken her time to overlook such a place but now, with that coldness coming closer she didn’t even give herself a few seconds to breathe. Pushing her muscles to work faster Lucy found her way to a set of stairs and quick as a fox made her way to the top of the ruins.</p><p> </p><p>Now is when Lucy took a moment to herself. Her breathing wasn’t too bad since she was used to hard labor and hours of running; training or even, the worst of all, war. Water dripped from her hair and tunic onto the ground, mixing with blood that was coming from her wounded back. Voices caught her ears as she stood up to her full height. ‘Now is not the time to have no weapon.’ The voices drew closer and Lucy tilted her head in confusion. Before her were four small men that hardly reached above her waist but weren’t tall enough to be dwarves. Thankfully, after years of being so short, she’d reached a decent size of 5 foot 7 inches.</p><p> </p><p>As the men saw Lucy they froze in panic. Moments passed as the four and one traded looks of mistrust. Lucy was shaken out of her frozen state as she felt that cold feeling getting closer and fast. In minutes whatever it was would be upon them, “get together!” Lucy moved in front of the men, hoping to block them from this evil. Out of the shadows around the group came five cloaked figures, each with a gleaming sword in hand. They were surrounded and based off the look of the small men, out skilled.</p><p> </p><p>“Stay together and whatever you do stay near me.” One of the men, he had black hair and bright blue eyes, looked at her and saw the determined set of her jaw. A shadow on her back caught his eye and he gasped. The woman’s back was bleeding and yet, here she was, standing up to the Nazgul to protect them.</p><p> </p><p>Each one of the small men drew swords or in one case a frying pan, and although Lucy could tell they didn’t know how to use them, they still planned on it. Lucy was never very good at hand-to-hand combat but if she could just get one of the shadow figure’s swords she could hold her own and protect the small men. Trying to buy them some time Lucy yelled out, “Who are you? What is it that you want here?”</p><p> </p><p>The shadow figures stopped walking and one of them turned to Lucy. “<strong><em>Who are you child of Men; to stand between the Nazgul and it’s prey?</em></strong><em>”</em></p><p> </p><p>Lucy tried to stop herself from shuddering, she really did, but the evil in this man’s voice was just too much. “I am Lucy the Valiant, and I will not stand by and watch you kill these men.” This was when the final thread broke. The other Nazgul began to converge on the group as the one that had turned to Lucy advanced closer to her.</p><p> </p><p><em>“<strong>You’re blood stinks of age child of Men. But you are a child. What are you?</strong>”</em> Again, the shadow man, the Nazgul as they called themselves, moved closer to Lucy. Three of the hobbits were out of the way and trying to fight three of the Nazgul while the last one moved towards the dark-haired one. Lucy heard the red haired one call out a name but seconds later the black haired one disappeared. Forgetting about the Nazgul before her Lucy raced to where the young man had been, picked up his fallen sword and attacked. The sword could hardly be called that for Lucy. It was too small, a little larger than a dagger.</p><p> </p><p>The Nazgul before her seemed less evil than the one that she had talked to. She blocked and parried like it was second nature to her, which it was, and attacked with a fierceness that rallied Peter’s temper. Behind her Lucy heard gasping. Kicking the Nazgul away Lucy ran back, but just before she got to the now visible man the first Nazgul blocked her path. <em>“<strong>You go no farther child of Men.</strong></em><strong>”</strong></p><p> </p><p>Pissed, and heading straight towards livid, Lucy did something that only her brothers would do; she attacked without thinking. Lucy let every emotion she had pent up inside her go out with every attack she made. Pain seared her wounded back as she moved but Lucy pushed the pain away. Behind her she would later notice a man come to their rescue with a sword and torch. Rolling out of the way of one of her opponent’s thrusts Lucy slammed the blade into the creature’s side. The loudest and most horrible noise that Lucy had ever heard came from within the creature’s cloak. Pain flew through Lucy’s right arm as she let go of the sword, leaving it still within her opponent’s body.</p><p> </p><p>            Finally, the Nazgul fled. Just before fleeing with its comrades the Nazgul before her grabbed Lucy’s arm and pulled her closer to him. <em>“<strong>You will pay child of Men for interfering. Remember, you have forever been marked by me.” </strong></em>Quietly it whispered something else into Lucy’s ear.</p><p>
  
</p><p>Being tossed to the ground Lucy rolled over and landed next to the black-haired small man. His three friends and their new comrade came rushing over to their fallen companion. Lucy moved out of the way, biting her cheek to keep from screaming as pain wretch itself through her body. Apparently, Lucy hadn’t gotten to the small man in time and he had been stabbed by the creature she had tried to fend away from him. The taller man among them lifted the small man into his arms after he passed his torch to the red haired man, he turned to Lucy and stared at her for a moment as if he was trying to decide if she was an enemy or not.</p><p> </p><p>            “It’s alright Strider, she tried to protect us.” Another one of the small men placed himself between Lucy and this Strider. Lucy sneezed and rubbed her arms, trying to bring back warmth to them now that her body was cooling down from adrenalin. Lucy knew she was getting sick. She didn’t know how long she’d been in that stream for and based off the wound on her back she had lost a decent amount of blood while running around and fighting. She was a healer; thus she knew the symptoms her body was warning her were coming.</p><p> </p><p>            “I mean you no harm kind sir, nor the harm of your companions. But please, allow me to come with you until the next village for I do not know where I am.” Lucy looked the man in the eye, letting him see the truth there. He nodded and turned away, rushing down the stairs. The three men and Lucy followed him into the woods. Lucy could hear the Nazgul behind them somewhere in the darkness of the forest. Lucy’s right arm throbbed, as well as her back. Still, Lucy marched on.</p><p> </p><p>            Strider stopped them near a statue that looked like a troll to Lucy and set Frodo down. “Sam, do you know the Athelas plant?”</p><p> </p><p>            “Athelas,” the red-haired man asked in confusion.</p><p> </p><p>            Strider took a moment to think, “Kingsfoil.”</p><p> </p><p>            “Kingsfoil, that’s a weed.”</p><p> </p><p>            “It may help to slow the poison.” Strider lit another torch from Sam’s. “Merry, Pippin, stay here and watch Frodo.”</p><p> </p><p>            “What about her?” The shortest of the two men asked, pointing to a still soaking wet and shivering Lucy. Strider looked her way and pulled his cloak off himself, handing it to her. Nodding her thanks Lucy wrapped the cloak around her shoulders and latched it so it wouldn’t fall off. It was hard work for her arm and the cloth hurt the skin on her back, but Lucy hid the pain.</p><p> </p><p>            “She comes with me.” Taking her left arm in his hand Strider pulled Lucy along into the trees. She didn’t complain or fight back. Usually she would if she felt threatened, but this man didn’t seem to have an evil bone in his body. Calmly she allowed him to pull her along until they came to a sudden stop. Strider knelt, handing Lucy the torch and pulled out a dagger to cut up the plant that Lucy guessed was Athelas.</p><p> </p><p>            “This will help him, right?” Lucy asked her voice small and raspy from running.</p><p> </p><p>            “It will help but he needs Lord Elrond’s…” a hand wrapped itself around Lucy’s mouth well a blade was pointed at Strider’s neck.</p><p> </p><p>            “What is this? A Ranger caught off his guard? And a woman too,” the voice was female, but the black spots on Lucy’s vision stopped her from seeing what her captor looked like clearly. Strider though seemed to relax a little, even with a sword pointed at him.</p><p> </p><p>            “Arwen, we need your help.” He stood and faced the woman, raising an eyebrow at Lucy before his eyes flicked over to her captor. The woman released Lucy and motioned for Strider to lead the way. Being able to turn now Lucy could see the woman was of a pure beauty that outshined even Susan’s. She had long black hair, skin that seemed to glow, blue eyes that looked brown in the night and pointed ears. She wore multiple blue and brown layers of traveling clothes that looked to be made of the finest clothes. She mounted her horse in order to move quicker.</p><p> </p><p>            Strider carefully brought them both back to Frodo, Merry, Pippin and Sam, who seemed to have not found any Athelas. The woman got off her horse with such grace and rushed to Frodo’s side with Strider next to her chewing on the plant. Frodo hissed in pain as Strider put the plant into his wound. “<em>I am Arwen. I’ve come to help you. Hear my voice, come back to the light.”</em></p><p> </p><p>Lucy froze her steps as confusion washed over her. ‘How? How am I able to understand a language I have never heard before?’ Lucy watched as Strider and Arwen moved Frodo onto Arwen’s horse.</p><p> </p><p><em>“Stay</em> <em>with the Hobbits. I will send horses for you.</em>” Strider said as he secured a buckle on the horse’s saddle. Arwen placed her hand on his arm to halt his movements.</p><p> </p><p>‘Hobbits?’ Lucy looked to Sam, Merry and Pippin and saw that they were in a state of confusion, turning to look at each other as their companion spoke with this woman in another language. ‘Is that what they are? Though I’ve never heard the term before.’</p><p> </p><p>            <em>“I'm the faster rider. I'll take him.”</em></p><p> </p><p>            <em>“The road is too dangerous.”</em> Concern filled Strider’s voice as he spoke these words. His tone though was even so as not to scare the Hobbits and Lucy.</p><p> </p><p>            “I do not fear them,” Arwen said with such conviction. “<em>Frodo is dying. If I can get across the river, the power of my people will protect him.” </em>Strider nodded and helped the woman into the saddle behind Frodo.</p><p> </p><p>Lucy looked into the Hobbit’s eyes and nearly gasped when she saw them lock onto hers. “Injured,” Frodo croaked out, his hand rising to reach for Lucy. Arwen and Strider shared a look that Lucy would have guessed to be panic before Arwen gripped her horse’s reins tighter.</p><p> </p><p>            <em>“Ride fast Asfaloth, ride fast</em>!” Off the horse took, riding nearly as fast as Peter’s old unicorn had. Strider watched as the woman left, ignoring Sam’s call of the Nazgul still being out there. Slowly, the screams of the Nazgul began to leave and they took their cold evil taint with them.</p><p> </p><p>One speck of evil remained, and Lucy turned to look into the woods behind her. Eyes narrowed onto one spot.         ‘What have I gotten myself into?’ She thought, feeling as though she were being watched. Just as she thought these words the evil that had remained left to follow the others. “We have to hurry; I do not think that these woods are safe even now.” Lucy turned to Strider, seeing him as the leader whether he wanted to be or not.</p><p> </p><p>            Strider nodded and off they went. For three days they walked, or at times ran, through the forest. None of them relented to their fatigue. There was a mutual feeling hanging in the air that should they give up then Frodo wouldn’t make it. Lucy knew otherwise though. Frodo was safe, or at least would be, and them slowing down to breathe wouldn’t change that but the look in the man’s eyes had sent a spark through her blood.</p><p> </p><p>He was injured and changing into a wraith but still, he worried for her. He was able to pull himself out of the darkness long enough to try and warn Strider and Arwen. The look though in his eyes said that he wished Lucy were taken instead of him, as though her wounds were worse than his.</p><p> </p><p>            Her back wasn’t worse than Frodo’s wound, but it would be soon if she didn’t get it dressed properly. She was still losing blood, but thankfully she’d had worse wounds and knew when she’d be at her limit. Lucy had fought in as many wars than her brothers and more spars as well. She was Queen Lucy the Valiant, and she refused to succumb to death so easily.</p><p> </p><p>            It was in the middle of their fourth day that they were met by six guards upon horses. Each of them with pointed ears. “We come from Bree and the Shire. Lady Arwen has brought our friend here for healing and we seek council and sanctuary with Lord Elrond.” Strider placed his left hand over his heart, bowed his head and swept his arm out part way. Lucy, feeling that it best not to insult their would-be saviors, followed suit, hoping that she did it right and that no one noticed the grimace on her face. The Hobbits in front of her bowed normally. Sam seemed to be in awe.</p><p> </p><p>            “<em>We know of whom you are Ranger, and our Lady has told us of your coming.”</em> Strider nodded and moved to Sam, helping him onto one of the horses in front of the guards. He moved to Merry, doing the same on another horse and finished with Pippin. A hand found its way in front of Lucy’s face and she followed it up to a brown-haired elf with green eyes. He was the one who had spoken to Strider. “My Lady, if you wouldn’t mind, I would be honored to carry you.”</p><p> </p><p>            Accepting his hand Lucy swung herself up behind the man, careful of her tunic’s positioning, using her left arm to wrap around his waist to keep steady and her right to keep Strider’s cloak closed. The only good thing about having to travel for days is the fact that she was no longer wet and cold. Instead, she was only cold and sick. The man whose horse she shared slightly raised an eyebrow at her neatness of mounting without his help but said nothing. With Strider on another horse the guards set out at a gallop.</p><p> </p><p>            A mere hour had passed before Lucy found herself staring at a beautiful city built into and around a mountain, forest and various waterfalls. They walked in a line along the mountain, heading for the city entrance. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but it’s more beautiful than even Cair Paravel.” Lucy sighed, not knowing that the man before her had heard her as well as the rest of the guards and Strider.</p><p> </p><p>            “Cair Paravel my Lady? I do not think I have ever heard of such a place.” Lucy’s guard said. Lucy immediately sat up as straight as possible and blushed in embarrassment at being heard.</p><p> </p><p>            “It is the home of my heart and soul. Though, I do not think that any one within this city or any other city would have heard of it. It is in a very distant land and sadly, I have no way of knowing how to return there.” Strider turned partway around to face Lucy’s guard and Lucy herself.</p><p> </p><p>            “If you do not know the way there, then how had you come about being at Amon Sul?”</p><p> </p><p>            “Amon Sul? Are those the ruins we were attacked by the Nazgul at?” Lucy leaned over to look Strider in the eyes. The man she was ridding with grabbed a hold of her right arm to keep her from falling off the horse and mountain itself. Lucy hissed in pain but continued to look Strider down. “I don’t know how I got there. I woke up in the middle of a stream in the woods nearby when I felt the Nazgul coming towards me. I ran until I ended up at the top of the ruins where I ended up running into the… you called them Hobbits right?”</p><p> </p><p>            “Yes Hobbits, you might know them as Halflings…” At Lucy’s blank stare Strider saw that she really had no clue as to what Hobbits were. “How do you know of the Nazgul?”</p><p> </p><p>            “I don’t, not really. But one of them called themselves that when I stood in its way of the Hobbits.” Lucy was suddenly pulled into a proper sitting position by her guard as she nearly ran headfirst into a tree branch. “Thank you,” Lucy smiled at the man who nodded and smiled back.</p><p> </p><p>            “You stood in the way of the Nazgul? And you talked to them?” The guards were all looking at Lucy as they cleared the mountain side and could ride next to each other once again. It was a blond haired and blue eyes man that spoke the questions.</p><p> </p><p>Suddenly Strider remembered what Merry had said earlier, “You tried to protect them with no weapon at all. And soaking wet no less. Honestly you looked like a wet dog then.”</p><p> </p><p>“There was no other choice. I couldn’t take one of the Hobbit’s swords, and I don’t even know what the Nazgul are. All I thought about was getting the four of them to safety. If I could have been able to disarm one of the Nazgul I would have used its Claymore against them but Frodo dropped his sword so I used that.”</p><p> </p><p>“You are full of surprises young child of Men,” Lucy’s guard commented as he slid down from the saddle.</p><p> </p><p>“Why do you call me a child of Men? The Nazgul did as well but I don’t see much of a difference between you and me. Well besides for your stunning good looks and pointed ears.”</p><p> </p><p>“Child I am an Elf. To be exact, I have lived for 2,349 years.”</p><p> </p><p>Smiling Lucy tilted her head in thought and suddenly giggled. “Well then, that is different, but I’m no child. I’ve lived to see 34 years.” The Elves, Hobbits and Strider all froze to look at Lucy. “What? In Narnia, I had 17 years to grown. But I guess, among all of you I would still be 17, though I lived 17 years in England too…. Hmmm, it can be quite confusing at times to tell the difference. Even if my heart and soul are my once Narnian age my body is still that of a child.”</p><p> </p><p>“You do not look of Elvin kin.” One of the Elvin guards looked to Lucy for an explanation.</p><p> </p><p>“Well of course not. In Narnia and in England there are no Elves. But trust me, it’s a confusing matter that is best not to be discussed.” Lucy slid off the horse and onto the ground. Black dots floated around her vision and Lucy started to fall forward. Sam was quick to catch her with Merry and Pippin at his side to help her stay on her feet.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you alright?” Sam asked in a quiet voice that still reached everyone’s ears.</p><p> </p><p>Before Lucy could answer her guard stepped forward and pushed aside Strider’s cloak. He hissed in sympathy when he saw the bloody gashes that spread from her shoulder blades to just before her left hip. “Why did you not say something sooner? How long have you had this wound?”</p><p> </p><p>“Umm, since I got here. I fell when I was trying to get out of the stream and landed on a very sharp rock. And I hadn’t said anything because I would have slowed down the group, thus making us take longer to reach safety.” Pippin went to move Lucy’s right arm around his shoulders and Lucy pulled back. “Sorry Pippin but I was injured earlier during the Nazgul fight and its best not to touch my arm.”</p><p> </p><p>“You were injured?” Strider was by her side in seconds, lifting the sleeve of the tunic. “Were you cut?”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” Lucy said, shaking her head. “When I stabbed the Nazgul something happened to my arm. Later, just before it left… well, either way it hurts.”</p><p> </p><p>Strider’s face turned pale as he saw Lucy’s arm. The veins of her arm were dark, and the skin was growing darker as well. On her bicep was the perfect form of five armored fingers. The skin there was black and seemed to be growing even darker than the rest. “We must get her to Elrond immediately!” Strider swung Lucy up and into his arms, rushing inside one of the beautiful buildings and leaving their guards and the Hobbits to follow behind.</p><p> </p><p>“Strider, I should probably tell you something.” Lucy whispered as the man continued forward. The nod of his head told Lucy to continue. Lucy was losing consciousness quickly and figured it best to tell this man before she passed out. “When I fought the Nazgul, or well, when it was leaving it said something about me being marked. It said that I would pay for interfering…”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course, it would say that. The Nazgul do not take it well when it’s prey gets away.”</p><p> </p><p>“No, that’s not all. It told me to remember that I was forever marked, I told you that part, but it had whispered something to me after. It had said that I was now picked.” Strider’s eyes widened as he pulled open a door and stepped inside the Healing Room.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you all for reading. Although I don't own the rights to anything here, I enjoyed writing this piece of fanfiction.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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